82 Year Old Pensioner Puzzled by A Portrait Of An Ugly Old Woman That Was Mailed To Him???

A pensioner has been left puzzled after a 300-year-old portrait of an 'ugly woman' was sent to his home.

Keith Webb, 82, said he has no idea who sent the picture of a "horrid old crone" to his home in Winchester, Hampshire.



Link with video...
www.bbc.co.uk...

"My wife won't have it in the house," he said. "I have no idea of who sent it.

"I have taken it to the local auction house and they say it is about 200 or 300 years old and it has undergone some extensive renovation at some stage.

"It's not very valuable, about £200 apparently."

Mr Webb added that he did not believe he had inherited the painting as he was not aware of any relatives or friends having died recently.

He added: "My wife thought it looked rather evil and she said 'I do not want that in the house' so in the garage it goes."

Mr Webb said that he hoped some publicity might help identify the sender.

He said: "It's just a total mystery."

So any idea who the painting was painted by and who may have sent it?

reply to post by davethebear


Well, I certainly do not recognise the picture from any of my various forays into research into art history, and of course, I would be unlikely to, unless the painting was by one of a select few famous bods.

One could spend days theorising about the origin of the painting, the reason it has been sent to this elderly gentleman, and the other imponderables surrounding this case, but without significantly more data than we currently have, it would be futile. I would say that from the look of the admittedly low quality photograph of the picture, that the painting was executed with some considerable skill. I say this because although the image quality is fairly poor, the content of the painting transmits itself pretty well, meaning that the rendering itself must have a fair degree of detail.

perhaps an action of an time traveler?

ressiv
perhaps an action of an time traveler?

Mmmmmmmmm, you never know do you....

reply to post by davethebear

I suggest the portrait was despatched because somebody had bought it.
Two possible reasons for it going to that address;
The despatcher got the address down wrong.
OR The purchaser was fraudulently making use of that address for credit purposes, but was expecting the parcel to be sent somewhere else. The despatcher had two addresses in front of him, and picked the wrong one. In the latter case, the next event might be that the despatcher tries to contact the purchaser at that address, wanting his money.

That is a very famous painting by someone like Rembrandt or something. I can't remember exactly who painted it but in that vein of fame. This pensioner in the story - there is no mention of what he looked like but maybe he was ugly too and someone thought they would make a great pair. Maybe someone was giving him the original as a gift. That was meant to be a joke. lol Chances of that are like nil, because this is hanging in the Lourve or something...It could also be just a postcard from someone who visited a museum.

Loveaduck
That is a very famous painting by someone like Rembrandt or something. I can't remember exactly who painted it but in that vein of fame. This pensioner in the story - there is no mention of what he looked like but maybe he was ugly too and they would make a great pair. Maybe someone was giving the original as a gift. That is meant to be a joke. Chances are like nil because this is hanging in the Lourve or something...It could also be just a postcard from someone who visited a museum.

If you look at the link I posted where there is a video of the man who received the painting, he doesn't seem that ugly to me...

As for Rembrandt being the painter, I think that somebody would have recognised it as so if it was by the master...

But who knows, it may turn out to be a long lost painting that's worth a mint, you never know....

davethebear
A pensioner has been left puzzled after a 300-year-old portrait of an 'ugly woman' was sent to his home.

Keith Webb, 82, said he has no idea who sent the picture of a "horrid old crone" to his home in Winchester, Hampshire.

Link with video...
www.bbc.co.uk...

"My wife won't have it in the house," he said. "I have no idea of who sent it.

"I have taken it to the local auction house and they say it is about 200 or 300 years old and it has undergone some extensive renovation at some stage.

"It's not very valuable, about £200 apparently."

Mr Webb added that he did not believe he had inherited the painting as he was not aware of any relatives or friends having died recently.

He added: "My wife thought it looked rather evil and she said 'I do not want that in the house' so in the garage it goes."

Mr Webb said that he hoped some publicity might help identify the sender.

He said: "It's just a total mystery."

So any idea who the painting was painted by and who may have sent it?

edit on 4-10-2013 by biggm because: (no reason given)

reply to post by biggm


I wish my wife would stop sending pictures of herself to strangers, we agreed our bedroom activities would be private.

Maybe it has some underlying value. Something hidden underneath painting or behind. Scary looking woman though, better not piss her off!:

knowledgehunter
Maybe it has some underlying value. Something hidden underneath painting or behind. Scary looking woman though, better not piss her off!:

Ooooh, the guy should look behind in case there is something of value there. You never know.

restoration of paintings is not a cheap thing to do and if the painting has only been valued at a few hundred pounds this makes this even more mysterious .

got to be sentimental value to somebody and the age every old lady looked like that back then i would get someone else to look at this painting

geobro
restoration of paintings is not a cheap thing to do and if the painting has only been valued at a few hundred pounds this makes this even more mysterious .

got to be sentimental value to somebody and the age every old lady looked like that back then i would get someone else to look at this painting

I too would have someone else take a look. The value seems as though it should be a hell of a lot more!!!

reply to post by Night Star


agreed postage alone would have been £30 well worth getting someone to look at this .

why do things like this not happen to me

I would so hang her up.

Idont see anything ugly about it at all, one portrait or one photo does not depict a person throughout their life.
Its a moment, imagine what moment that could be, I see sadness or loss, but also think back to what was fashionable, sternness meant strength in ones character.

I love this very much

Love and harmony
Whateva

Maybe it is a cursed painting and the only way someone is able to get rid of it is to mail it to a random unknown person!
Plus anyone that ever looks at it is also cursed obviously..

OMG op what have you done!

I'm wondering what time period this is and what country she was from. am not familiar with this type of clothing.

Reminds me of that hilarious Mr Bean movie-and the painting of Whistler's mother

Apparently,the mystery has been solved,i came across this article while searching for something else

www.unexplained-mysteries.com...